Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi in Budapest – Chinese-Hungarian Belt and Road

Having accomplished the goals established over the last several years, it is time Hungary and China set new ones for their cooperation, the foreign minister said in Budapest on Friday.

Speaking at the second meeting of the Chinese-Hungarian Belt and Road working group, Péter Szijjártó said the two countries had successfully accomplished the goals established at the first meeting in terms of infrastructure, trade, financial cooperation and human relations.

Expanding on the achievements of bilateral cooperation, Szijjártó noted that

there are now two direct flights operating between Hungary and China, the total value of investments by Chinese companies in Hungary has reached 4.5 billion dollars and the Hungarian government has signed strategic cooperation pacts with seven Chinese companies. Further, the number of Chinese tourists visiting Hungary has increased four-fold and the two countries have launched their first joint university programme.

Szijjártó noted that China was now Hungary’s top trading partner outside the European Union.

Now, he said,

Hungary and China must focus on establishing further links between them, intensifying their financial cooperation, eliminating obstacles to trade and boosting human relations.

In terms of specific goals, Szijjártó said Hungary and China would have to sign the loan agreement for the upgrade of the Budapest-Belgrade railway line before the end of the year, launch more direct flights and joint university programmes and create the possibility for secondary school students in Hungary to take final exams that are accredited in China.